A layup by Megan Waytashek with 9.7
seconds remaining completed a South Dakota State comeback as the Jackrabbits
escaped Frost Arena with a 66-65 victory over Eastern Michigan in
non-conference women's basketball action Tuesday night.

The Jackrabbits improved to 5-4 overall with their second
consecutive victory. Eastern Michigan saw its losing streak reach seven games
as the Eagles dropped to 1-7 on the season.

EMU led nearly the entire evening, breaking an 11-all tie
with 15-5 run over a five-minute span than bridged the halfway point of the
first half. Miranda Tate and Natachia Watkins each scored a pair of baskets in
the Eagle spurt.

The Jackrabbits trimmed the margin to three at halftime as
Gabby Boever connected on a three-pointer from about 28 feet just before the
buzzer to make the score 32-29 at halftime.

Despite some newfound momentum, SDSU didn't take the lead
until the final seconds. Six times the Jackrabbits pulled to within a point -
the first time at 36-35 after a pair of three-pointers by Ashley Eide in the
first 95 seconds of the second half.

After the two teams traded baskets to make the score 38-37
in favor of EMU, the Eagles put together an 11-4 run capped by a Tate
three-pointer to go up 49-41 heading into the under-12 media timeout.

Eide canned two more clutch three-pointers down the stretch,
pulling the Jackrabbits within a point each time - the last of which made the
score 65-64 in favor of EMU with 1:13 to play. The two teams then traded
turnovers before Eastern Michigan's Desyree Thomas missed both free throw
attempts with 31 seconds to play.

After a Jackrabbit timeout, SDSU moved the ball to Hannah
Strop in the high post, who turned and hit a cutting Waytashek on the right
side of the lane for the go-ahead layup. The Eagles got off a contested shot
outside the lane from about 12 feet away a second before the horn and came up
empty with Waytashek corralling the rebound.

Waytashek tied a career high with 17 points, while Eide
scored 15 points on a career-high five three-pointers.

The Jackrabbits ended the game 21-of-52 from the field, 40.4
percent, including 9-of-28 on three-point tries. SDSU converted 15-of-22 free
throw attempts for 68.2 percent.

Eastern Michigan fared better from the field, going
25-of-52, 48.1 percent. The Eagles made 6-of-10 three-point tries, but were
only 9-of-16 at the charity stripe, 56.3 percent.

Tate finished with a game-high 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting
from the field. Amber Bogard added 11 points, with India Hairston contributing
nine points and a game-high nine rebounds. The Eagles held a 36-31 advantage on
the boards.

Both teams had their share of problems dealing with trapping
defenses; Eastern Michigan turned the ball over 27 times, while the Jackrabbits
finished with 22 miscues.

The Jackrabbits resume action Saturday at Northern Iowa.
Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

NOTES: Tuesday's game marked the first-ever meeting between
SDSU and Eastern Michigan ... the Jackrabbits improved to 2-1 against
Mid-American Conference opponents this season and 3-1 all-time versus MAC foes
... SDSU recorded a win over its 55th different Division I opponent
since joining the D-I ranks at the start of the 2004-05 season ... the
Jackrabbits have a 170-70 record against D-I foes since 2004-05 ... Waytashek has
scored in double figures in seven of nine games this season and tied the
17-point outing she had Nov. 28 versus Marquette (Wis.) ... Eide's previous high
for three-pointers in a game was four, against Nebraska on Nov. 18 ... Boever set
a career high with six assists ... the Jackrabbits are 3-4 this season when
trailing at the half ... SDSU head coach Aaron Johnston recorded his 295th
career victory - all with the Jackrabbits ... the Jackrabbits held a 17-12
advantage in bench points ... SDSU committed six turnovers in the second half and
only two in the final 12 minutes ... attendance was 1,431